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Chan, Stephen (2019) 'Free and Fair? : Observation of Selected African Elections.' Journal of African Elections, 18 (1). pp. 1-22.

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Abstract

The first large-scale election observation was of Zimbabwe’s 1980 independence elections. Since then, election observation has become a regular worldwide feature and many international organisations, official agencies, and non-governmental organisations field observation teams. They all use similar methodologies, largely derived from the original 1980 model. A third of a century later, it may be time to consider whether the use of electoral observation has outlived its usefulness – or is itself being used to mask forms of electoral cheating. This paper considers five 21st century African elections – in Kenya (2007), Zimbabwe (2008, 2013 and 2018) and Zambia (2016), through the reflections of a pioneer of the 1980s observation prototype.

Item Type: Journal Article
SOAS Departments & Centres: Departments and Subunits > Department of Politics & International Studies
ISSN: 16094700
Copyright Statement: This material was originally published in the EISA Journal of African Elections [https://www.eisa.org.za/pdf/JAE18.1Chan.pdf] and has been reproduced by kind permission. Re-use is subject to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
DOI (Digital Object Identifier): https://doi.org/10.20940/JAE/2019/v18i1a1
Date Deposited: 01 Oct 2019 10:29
URI: https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/31646

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